‘I want to help Ronaldo break more records’ – Sarri sets out stall at Juventus unveiling
New Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri says he wants to help star man Cristiano Ronaldo reach even greater heights, as the Italian was unveiled at the Serie A giants.
Sarri quit Premier League club Chelsea earlier this month after just one season in London, returning to Italy to fill the role vacated at Juve by Max Allegri.
The Italian club unveiled their new manager at a press conference on Thursday, during which the 60-year-old said hoped to help five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo break even more records.
“At Chelsea I coached some very strong players, but training Cristiano will be another step forward. I'd like to help him break some new records,” Sarri said.
Ronaldo, 34, scored 21 goals in 30 league appearances during his first season in Italy after making the switch from Real Madrid, where he was the club's all-time top scorer.
The relationship between the chain-smoking Italian manager and the Portuguese star promises to be an intriguing one, both in terms of how Sarri uses Ronaldo on the pitch and the rapport between the pair off it.
Also on rt.com Sarri to Juventus: How will chain-smoking Italian get on with fitness freak Ronaldo?Former Napoli boss Sarri said he would speak to several key Juventus players in the coming days to “share some ideas” about how to take the team forward, after they sealed an eighth consecutive Serie A title last season but again fell short in Europe.
"I don't know if I'll visit Ronaldo in a few days or more, we haven't organized anything," Sarri added when asked about meeting with Ronaldo specifically ahead of the pre-season.
Despite leading Chelsea to third place in the Premier League and signing off by winning the UEFA Europa League title, Sarri never looked at ease in London as he struggled to implement his own-brand ‘Sarriball’ style and win over the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Juve have reportedly paid Chelsea a compensation fee of around £5 million ($6.3 million) to secure Sarri’s services, and the Italian said the Turin club's determination to bring him in persuaded him it was the right move.
"It's their attitude, their approach, the effort they make to come out and meet you. It shows their conviction that they want you specifically as their coach.
"That was the most important thing, for me," he said.
